Table of Contents:
The term Loire Valley is somewhat misleading. It seems it would be either side of the Loire river from its start to delta.
Depending on who you ask, it doesn’t. The river begins in Southern France, about 40 miles west of where the Rhone and La Drome rivers meet.
It then twists and turns for more than 600 miles before reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Saint-Nazaire.
Many refer to the Loire Valley as the area between Nevers in the east and Nantes to the west.
In defining its World Heritage Site of the Loire Valley, UNESCO limits it from Sully-sur-Loire to Chalonnes. This is approximately 185 miles of river and, for our purposes, still a lot to cover.
So to make it easier, I am breaking this area into three sections.
The (Central) will use Tours as the base. It includes Amboise,
The Western Loire Valley will use Angers, as a base. This will include Samur and Chinon.
This section, Eastern Loire Valley, will use Orleans as the base. This will include Blois and Sully-sur-Mer.
Ancient Orleans
Its history goes back to the days of the Celts (or Gauls to the Romans). The Carnutes are a powerful tribe living in today’s departments of Chartres, Orléans, and Blois. This is in the middle and largest region of Gaul, Gallia Celtica. It reaches from France’s Atlantic coast and includes today’s Luxembourg and Switzerland. There is evidence of their presence dating to the third century B.C.
After the conquest by Julius Caesar circa 52 B.C., the Romans begin to develop the area. They focus along rivers, which they use for transportation and communication.
Ceasar’s troops destroy Cenabum, a stronghold of the Carnutes. In its place, they build Civitas Aurelianorum and transplant Aurelian citizens from Rome. Over the years, the name evolves into Orléans.
During the reign of Emperor Augustus (circa 27 B.C.), the city begins to develop. The Romans also enlarge and strengthen Tours (Caesarodunum), Le Mans (Noviodunum), Angers (Juliomagus), Chartres (Autricum), and several more.
They build a road system connecting the towns and Lyon (Lugdunum), the largest Roman city in Central France.
Not so Ancient Orleans.
The fertile banks of the Loire do not go unnoticed by the Romans. It becomes a major farming area, and by 100 A.D., it is already producing wine.
By 284 A.D., the Roman Empire was showing signs of strain. The new Emperor Diocletian commands a reorganization and appoints his fellow officer Maximian as a co-emperor. He later divides the empire into four sections and appoints two Ceasars (Galerius and Constantius.)
In 442, the Roman commander hires the Alans, a mercenary tribe originally from Iran, to help bring order to Gaul. Not only are the locals rebelling, but attacks by the Visigoths are increasing. The Alans do the job and keep part of the area for themselves as payment.
When the Huns under Attila attack in 451 and the Goths in 463, the Alans defeat both. The Franks attack circa 466 and also lose. Around 502 A.D. Clovis, now kind of the Franks, attacks and loses. However, the Alans, wanting cordial relations with the Christian Franks over the Visigoths and their Arian theology, strike an accord. Clovis becomes the king of the area of Gaul between the Seine and the Loire. The Alan soldiers integrate into the Merovingian military.
Franks For the Memories
In 476 A.D., there is the Fall of the Western Roman Empire. Clovis takes over Northern Gaul in the vacuum that follows the fall. By the early 500’s all of the Frankish tribes are under a single king instead of many tribes. Clovis also ensures that the kingship will pass down to his heirs. He is the founder of the Merovingian dynasty, who will rule the Frankish kingdom until 751. Their domain includes most of modern-day France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
Remember how Clovis arranges for only his kin to be heirs? His relatives will put the fun in dysfunctional as they cheat, swindle, and kill each other for power. The kingdom would divide into four divisions, Austrasia, Neustria, Burgundy, and Aquitaine. And then sometimes, it would come together into one before separating again.
Orleans becomes the capital of the Kingdom of Orleans. Later it will become a county (city and area around it.)
While the Franks Play
While the Merovingian dynasty members are busy undermining each other, the mice are playing. Charles Martel asserts himself and his relatives into the mayor of the palace’s position in their kingdoms. Soon they are the de facto rulers of the Franks and the real power behind the Merovingian throne. With the support of the Papacy, in 751, they overthrow the Merovingian kings. The Carolingian dynasty will rule most of France for the next 500 years.
The Carolingian King Pepin begins an ambitious program to strengthen the kingdom. They reform the legislation so the Mayor of the Palace no longer has as much power. Then he continues to support the reforms of Boniface. Moreover, Pepin secures the Pope’s position by defending him from the Lombards in Italy. Also, he acquires land for the Papal States.
Pepin dies in 768, and his sons take over. Their names are Carloman and Charlemagne.
Carloman receives Burgundy, which includes Orleans at that time.
Carloman dies of mysterious causes three years later. Funny how French history seems to have A LOT of mysterious deaths… His brother becomes the sole ruler.
Charlemagne brings a cultural revival to the area and appoints Théodulf as the first bishop of Orleans.
Circa 856 A.D. Vikings coming along the river from the west, pilage Orléans and Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire. On their way back downriver, they burn the Cathedral and several churches to the ground.
Normans, Is That You?
The Franks’ empire, now Carolingians, was ruling over most, but not all of today’s France. In the upper northeast corner was a band of some of the roughest bullies on the block, Normandy’s Normans. This group was ragtag of Franks, Gallo-Romans, and Norse Viking settlers, and they wanted land.
Circa 911, the Normans sign the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, with King Charles III, the Carolingian king. The Normans get lands along the Seine, defend against other Vikings, and convert to Christianity.
The Norman dukes create the most powerful duchies in Western Europe. They help place Hugh Capet (a non-Carolingian) on the French throne.
In 989 A.D., a great fire destroys Orleans. They rebuild using local limestone in place of wood.
Circa 1022, two religious teachers, several canons, and prominent laymen of the Orleans Cathedral face heresy charges. King Robert II burns them to death.
The 1108 coronation of King Louis VI in the cathedral of Orleans results in protests from the archbishop of Reims. From then on, the coronation of kings will only take place in Reims.
By 1140, the Pont (bridge) des Tourelles spans the Loire.
Civil Unrest
In 1285, Philip IV became King of France. And with him come changes for the entire country. He wants to make the feudal country into a centralized state, giving himself more power. Philip successfully challenges the Pope’s power in France.
He expels France’s Jews circa 1306. He does the same to the Italian Lombards” (bankers) five years later.
Unhappiness is smoldering just below the surface.
Orleans is a strategic point on the Loire due to its closeness to Paris. Having one of only three bridges across the Loire helps too. By the 1300s, Orleans and Rouen are the richest cities in France behind Paris.
The Hundred Years War (1337 – 1453)
By 1400 A.D., King Henry V of England is in France, winning a series of decisive victories. By 1422, the English and their allies control most of northern France, including Paris and Reims.
When the French king dies, his son Charles cannot have his coronation at Reims and remains uncrowned. The British proclaim 2-year-old King Henry VI, son of Henry V and Catherine of Valois, as king of France.
The people of France are feeling down. Things are not looking like they will get any better.
And then a young girl starts hearing things.
Jacques d’Arc’s Daughter
Jeanne (Joan) d’Arc receives voices and visions from the Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria in 1428. They instruct her to support Charles, The Dauphin of France, in getting back his father’s crown. And to recover France from English domination.
Charles sends Joan to the Siege of Orléans as part of a relief army. The British surround Orleans, a symbolic stronghold to the Dukes of Orléans. They support the claims of the disinherited and banished Charles to the French throne. If the British can seize the city, it will indicate they rule all of France.
A French legend says a woman will deliver them from the English, and they believe Joan is that woman. Civilians start following her commands, much to the disdain of the army. But her strikes are successful, and with each new one, more and more French believe in her. In nine days, the British retreat. It is a massive win for France, especially mentally.
She wins back several smaller towns along the Seine, bringing it back into French control.
She then marches on Reims, where the Dauphin has his coronation as Charles VII of France. This event is the turning of the tide.
She Can’t Get a Signal.
She has a few more minor wins but is unsuccessful during the siege to recapture Paris. Burgundian troops capture her the following year in an ambush. They sell her to the English at their headquarters in Rouen. After the mockery of a trial with only pro-English and Burgundian clerics, they find her guilty of heresy.
They burn her alive, tied to a stake, in the middle of Rouen’s Vieux-Marché during May of 1431. The English burn her two more times, so no relics remain. They then dump her ashes in the river.
Note – A new trial finds her innocent 25 years later. Pope Benedict XV canonizes her as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church In 920.
Orleans Beyond the War.
The war finally ends circa 1453. For the next 400 years, Orlean’s history is much like that of the rest of France. It regains its prosperity quickly.
King Louis XI contributes to the prosperity of the valley by revitalizing the agriculture industry.
France was not immune to the Black Death, responsible for reducing the population up to 50% by 1351.
The church’s inability to save its followers allows the kings to separate the church from the state.
Circa 1460, King Louis XI rebuilds the Loire Valley’s Château de Langeais in late medieval architecture.
Soon after, Jean de Chambes, senior counselor to the king, rebuilds Chateau de Montsoreau in the Flamboyant Gothic style.
Circa 1477, the town of Angers builds France’s first printing press.
King Charles imports Italian architects and artisans to turn the chateau he “borrowed” from Louis d’Amboise into an Italianate palace.
The House of Valois runs out of male heirs circa 1498. Louis XII, of the Valois-Orleans family, accends to the throne of France. The House of Valois-Angoulême will gain the throne in 1515 when Louis dies without an heir.
Welcome to the Renaissance.
By 1495, the Italian Renaissance reaches France.
French kings and nobility import Italian art and sometimes their artists, including Leonardo da Vinci.
They begin building ornate palaces (plural) at great expense.
They fill their courts with great writers, painters, and musicians.
The French Renaissance really gets a kick when Henry II of France marries Caterina de’ Medici from THAT Florence family. Despite her un-Christian role in the religious wars, she did do some good. She brings arts, sciences, and music to the French court. She even introduces the origins of ballet from her native Florence.
More royal Chateaus rise in the valley including Château de Chenonceau (1513), Chambord, (1519), and Château Royal de Blois (1609).
University of Orleans
Orleans has been a gathering place for teachers and doctors since 1230.
Pope Clement V declares it a university in 1306, making it only the second in France behind Paris’s Sorbonne (1253).
Some famous alumni include the Protestant Reformer John Calvin (circa 1526) and French playwright Moliere (circa 1642). Both were studying law.
Loire Valley and the Reformation.
By the 1530s, the Reformation ideas reach the Catholic Loire valley, and some people become Protestants.
King Francis I takes a stance against the Protestants after they denounce Catholic doctrine. It leads to public burnings at the stake for the heretics.
Henry II becomes king on his father’s death circa 1547. He is even more anti-Protestant. He restrains them from worshiping, assembling, or even discussing religion in public.
But the Protestants (Calvinists) continue to grow. Possibly half of the nobility converts, and there are more than 1000 Protestant churches in France.
With the accidental death of Henry II in 1559, his son, 15-year-old Francis II, becomes king. The year before, Francis II marries Mary, Queen of Scots, the granddaughter of Claude, Duke of Guise,
To protect the House of Valois-Angoulême, Catherine steps in as Regent to her young son.
The House of Guise, claiming descent from Charlemagne, makes a play for the crown. They make themselves champions of the Catholic faith.
And Another House.
Enter Louis de Bourbon, founder of the Condé branch of the House of Bourbon, a cadet of the Capetian dynasty. He sides with the Protestants.
The Guise branch wants to eradicate the Bourbon branch, the legal successors, to France’s throne. The Bourbon branch wants the throne back from Catherine’s House of Valois-Angoulême. Catherine is not giving up anything. Where could this lead?
Religious wars soon follow.
By 1562, Orleans is a protestant stronghold. The Duke of Guise leads Catholic troops to recapture Orleans. The duke’s assassination leads to the Edict of Amboise, establishing peace between the two communities.
The edict allows the protestants (Huguenots) religious privileges and freedoms in the privacy of their homes.
A 1572 wedding between Margaret, Catholic King Charles IX’s sister, and Protestant Henry of Navarre does nothing to ease tensions. Or, it never has time to.
A few days later, the king, with his mother Catherine’s pushing, begins a bloodbath against the Protestants. The St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre targets prominent Huguenots in Paris for the wedding. It goes on for weeks, crippling the Huguenots. The final death toll throughout France ranges from 3000 – 5000 people.
The Edict of Nantes.
Finally, in 1598, Henry of Navarre, heir to the French throne, converts to Catholicism and becomes King Henry IV of France. He issues the Edict of Nantes, which grants Huguenots rights and freedoms.
Although the outright fighting ends, Catholic hostility will continue. The final Protestant death toll in France is between 5,000 and 30,000 Protestants during the 38 years of war.
Orleans In The 1700s
The 1700s is a time of discovery and exploration for France. Traveling from French outposts in Eastern Canada, they travel the River Colbert’s length to its delta. They claim the lands on either side for France.
Later, the French will call the river by the local Algonquin or Ojibwe tribes name, Misi-ziibi (Great River).
Realizing the importance of the river, they set up their capital near its mouth in 1718. They name it la Nouvelle-Orléans in honor of Philippe II, the Duke of Orleans, and King Louis XV’s regent.
Back in France, the Duchy of Orleans becomes the largest of the French duchies. Forming almost a circle around Orleans 100 miles in diameter, it reaches almost to Paris.
Through marriage alliances, Philippes II’s great-grandson Louise Philippe II is probably the richest man in the world by 1789.
In that year, he would use his riches to support the Revolution of 1789 in favor of a constitutional monarchy. He would vote for the death of King Louis XVI, his cousin.
During the Reign of Terror, they find him suspicious of treason and put him on the guillotine in 1793.
His son Louis Philippe I goes into exile for 21 years. During this time, he marries Maria Amalia of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.
You Say You Want a Revolution.
The French Revolution breaks out in 1789 to replace the Ancien Regime with a constitutional monarchy.
A Constitutional Monarchy (1789 – 1792)
Starting with the bastille storming on July 14, it was obvious the populous was at a boiling point.
King Louis XVI appoints the Marquis de Lafayette commander of the National Guard.
With help from Thomas Jefferson, Lafayette draft a constitution, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. It borrows from Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence.
King Louis accepts the constitution and commits to a constitutional monarchy. He is now King of the French.
Unfortunately, Louis cannot give up control.
By April 1792, France is declaring war on Austria and Prussia. The Prussian commander threatens Paris with “unforgettable vengeance” if it opposes any steps to restore the monarchy’s power.
In August, the Parisian National Guard and the federes attack the Tuileries Royal Palace. The king and his family took refuge while a hurriedly-assembled group of deputies votes to “temporarily relieve the king.”
First Republic (1792–1795)
In the late summer, under much intimidation and cheating, they hold elections for a National Convention. With the war against Prussia going well, the Convention abolishes the monarchy and establishes the French First Republic.
By January of 1793, they condemn Louis to death and lop his head off in the Place de la Concorde.
Conservative groups around Europe call for the removal of this revolutionary Convention. France declares war on the Dutch Republic and Britain. The kingdoms of Spain, Portugal, Tuscany, and Naples rally around England, and we have the First Coalition War.
The Convention thinks the population will support them. Higher taxes and a lack of food has the opposite effect. Their popularity plummets. The people begin revolting.
To keep the people in their place, the Convention starts the Reign of Terror. This period includes massacres and public executions to scare the revolutionaries. Citing anticlerical sentiment, treason, or other charges against authorities, the Committee of Public Safety rounds people up.
This quickly leads to anyone that might oppose them. Marie Antoinette, Louise Philippe II, Duke of Orleans, and Robespierre are some of the 16,600 executions. Another 40,000 die in jail.
By 1795, the wars with Prussia, the Dutch, and Spain come to an end.
A committee drafts a new constitution, establishing a legislature with two houses. Hopefully, this will slow down the swings in power like before.
They call it the Directory.
1795–1799.
The Directory is a mix of Republican, broadly centrist, and Royalists. Many of the centrists believe the restoration of Louis XVIII will end the war with Britain and Austria. An election in 1797 shows a significant gain for the Royalists.
The Republicans fearing a return to the monarchy, stage a coup forcing the Council to cancel the election results. They deport sixty-three of the stronger royalists and pass new laws limiting emigres, Royalists, and ultra-Jacobins.
When France invades Egypt circa 1798, the Second Coalition War begins between France and much of Europe.
The Directors rely on the army to enforce decrees and collect revenue from the conquered territories. With no safeguards in place, generals like Bonaparte and Joubert become political players. The system is notorious for its corruption.
A 1799 coup replaces the five Directors of the Directory with five new leaders, the French Consulate.
The 1800s
The French Revolution fizzles out while the world watches Bonaparte.
By 1802, France and England sign the Treaty of Amiens, ending the revolutionary war.
Napoleon faces several assassination attempts by the royalists and Jacobins. Using these attempts as an excuse, he creates an imperial system, similar to the one used by the Romans.
He wants his family in important positions with the current constitution that a Royalist (Bourbon) restoration would not be possible.
Next, he runs for Emperor of the French, receiving an overwhelming vote from the people. The Pope officiates the 1804 coronation.
England breaks the peace agreement, and by 1805 Russia allies with them against France. The War of the Third Coalition is on.
Napoleon fights most of Europe until the tide turns circa 1814. The British will spare France if they depose Napoleon. They put him in exile on the island of Elba.
Louis XVIII, the Count of Provence and brother of King Louis XVI, returns from exile and takes the throne.
Napoleon escapes from Elba a year later and returns to France. He restores the French Empire, and Louis XVIII goes back into hiding.
When Bonaparte loses at Waterloo, the British place him on St Helena island, with little chance of escape.
Orleans After Bonaparte
Louis XVIII returns to the French throne and stays until 1824.
Upon his death, his youngest brother Charles X takes the throne. He is unpopular from the start due to his belief in rule by divine right and opposition to civil liberties.
Charles attempts to unify the House of Bourbon by granting the House of Orleans privileges of Royal Highness. His brother Louis did not offer this due to their father’s role in Louis XVI’s death.
By 1830 the people and the government are calling for his abdication.
Members of the Chamber decide that Louis Philippe d’Orléans should take the throne from King Charles.
In August, Charles abdicated, and Louise Philippe I proclaims himself the King of the French.
His reign starts well as he is not pretentious as earlier kings. However, over time his increasingly conservative and monarchical style of governing irritates the politicians. The deteriorating conditions of the working class and the widening gap in income irritate the people.
The 1848 Revolution sees the abdication of Louis Philippe and the creation of the French Second Republic.
French Second Republic
The Republic lasts from the 1848 Revolution to an 1851 coup. The people elect Prince Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte by a landslide.
With the First Republic’s motto, Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, they write a new constitution helping everyone. It is immediately unpopular. Prince Louis pretends to get along with everyone without actually committing to anything. Then, when the time is right, he dissolves the Chamber and arrests all the party leaders. He summons a new assembly that prolongs his term of office to ten years.
Second French Empire
The Imperial regime of Napoleon III will last from 1852 to 1870.
On the homefront, there were good times with Napoleon promoting French business and exports.
The greatest achievement is a grand railway network using Paris as the central hub. The Paris-Orleans-Bordeaux line is one of the most popular. It departs Paris from the grande Beaux-Arts style gare d”Orsay. The station includes the Hotel Palais d’Orsay. The great hall of the station is now the Musee D’Orsay. The station will inspire other buildings, including New York’s Penn Station.
French Third Republic
Circa 1870, the Franco-Prussian War breaks out between France and Prussia. Today Prussia is part of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and Russia.
The government fails, and they set up the French Third Republic as a provisional government. It works better than the last one and becomes the permanent form of government of France.
Due to its location, Orleans becomes strategically important, and the Prussians occupy it by the fall of 1870.
The Armée de la Loire wins it back briefly in November to lose it again the next month.
The Third Republic will stand until 1940.
To read more about the history of France, click here.
The World Wars
In the First World War, The Loire Valley is far enough behind the lines to receive much damage.
Using arrival ports along the Atlantic, The American Expeditionary Force sets up its headquarters in Tours, west of Orleans. American engineers lay an additional 1000 miles of railroad from the ports and through Orleans, an important supply terminus.
At the beginning of the Second World War, the French government has to flee Paris ahead of the invading Germans. They set up their government in Vichy, 170 miles south of Orleans. The new Vichy Government is an authoritarian one, reversing many liberal policies. They also put tight supervision on the economy. Over time it becomes apparent it is a puppet government with Berlin pulling strings. It will only last until 1944, when France replaces it with the French Republic’s Provisional Government.
After capturing Paris, the Nazis turn their sites on Orleans.
Seizing the city, they make the Aubrais rail yards and station a major point of their supply system.
Les than 40 miles east of Orleans, the Germans build the Beaune-la-Rolande internment camp. The French will run this transit camp for Jews, waiting for the trip to Auschwitz. Records indicate more than 18,000 Jews will arrive at this camp.
During the Liberation, the Allied air force bombards the city, leveling the train yards and many downtown areas.
The city was one of the first to rebuild after the war. The area around the train yards, several bridges, and much of the town to the west looks newer.
The Vieil Quarter, between the cathedral and the river, has narrow streets and retains numerous historical structures. It is a wonderful area to “lose” yourself for a few hours.
Orleans Today
Orleans is the capital of the Loiret department in the Centre region of France. The population is around 115,000.
Traditionally, Orleans was a market and horticulture center growing crops and producing wine. It still does. Grains and grapes are big business.
Beginning in the 1960s, the Paris industrial monopolies begin slowly breaking and allowing other cities in.
Today, Orleans produces parts for the vehicle industry, chemical production, textiles, and machinery.
Tourism is becoming an important aspect of the economy as people spend more time in the Loire Valley. Besides the chateaus, there is plenty to see and do.
What is in Orleans for me?
See & Hear.
Visitors can stroll cobblestone lanes and admire the beautiful timber-framed homes.
Sit in the cathedral and watch the sun cast colorful splashes of light across the interior through the stained glass.
Another option is to sit in a square, listening to life happening all around you.
Taste & Smell.
Orleans is in the middle of the garden of France. You could spend a day just smelling and tasting the local cheeses. There are five different A.O.C. variations of goat cheese alone. And do not forget the wine. The Loire has five wine regions, including the Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé region.
Feel.
Sip a glass of wine from the nearby vineyards.
Watch the shadows growing longer across the same cityscape that Moliere once used for inspiration.
You are contemplating your day of chateaus, cheese, and Joan of Arc.
There may be better ways to end your afternoon, but this one doesn’t suck.
Should-see Orleans.
If you visit nothing else, take a stroll through the Old Town, Old Quarter, Vieille Ville. They rebuild several buildings post-WWII, but there are originals as well.
If your phone reads QR codes (those squares full of black marks), look for the Les Témoins d’Orléans. The “Witnesses of Orleans” are 50 metal plaques around town that will give you more insight into that spot.
Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d’Orléans
This Gothic Roman Catholic church is the seat of the Bishop of Orléans. The original structure dates from circa 1329 and includes restoration and additions. This is the church where Joan of Arc would attend evening Mass during the 1429 siege on the city. There is a great view from the top of the 252 steps.
Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Orléans.
Adjacent to the cathedral, the museum is one of the oldest in France, dating from 1797. Its collections cover European arts from the 15th to 20th
Hotel Groslot
Dating from 1558, this private residence for Jacques Groslot, bailiff of the King of France, brings new meaning to be extravagant. The residence would become a community-building, hosting important nobles and even kings. Take a stroll through the gardens behind.
Cercil Museum – Memorial Children Du Vel D’hiv
Near the Cathedral, this sobering museum documents the Jewish children of Orleans during WWII. Between 1941 and 1943, 4400 Jewish children are in the two internment camps northeast of Orleans. The Nazis send the parents ahead, leaving the children in the camps. Eventually, the children will go to Auschwitz and Sobibor, with only 26 surviving. The exhibits are only in French. An English guide is available, and I recommend it.
Église Saint-Aignan
The church is in honor of Anianus, the bishop of Orléans. He was able to persuade Attila the Hun from sacking the city circa 451. The current Romanesque structure dates from the 16th-century. Tours of the crypts are available.
Place du Martroi
Today, this is the living room of Orleans. People meet, festivals take place, and a large statue of Joan of Arc guards the square. It has been a public area since the 1500s, starting as a grain market. With the building of the Chancellerie (ministry of justice) circa 1754, it also becomes the sight of public executions.
Protestant Temple of Orléans
The round building on Rue de Bourgogne is the Protestant Church. Dating from 1839, the building is now a historical monument. The church is still active.
FRAC Centre
The complex of modern architecture houses a museum to modern art and architecture.
Notre Dame des Miracles
Home to the Black Madonna of Orleans, which began as a 5th-century wooden figure. Joan of Arc would pray to this figure each morning during her week in Orleans. During WWII, Allied bombers level the entire neighborhood and chapel around her. She did not receive a scratch.
Église Notre-Dame-de-Recouvrance
This Romanesque church from the sixteenth century is on top of ruins dating from the Roman Empire. Wives would pray for their sailor husbands’ return (recouvrance) as the Loire was a dangerous river. The church still has some of its 16th century stained glass.
Paroisse Saint Paterne.
This 19th-century structure is a rebuild of the original 13th-century church. Highlights include mosaics, stained glass, marble statues, paintings, and more.
Musée Historique et Archéologique de l’Orléanais.
The collection dates from 1823. By 1862, they need to move to the larger Cabu hotel. During the Second World War, German bombs destroy a large part of the collection. Today, the collection tells Orleans history from Roman times until today.
Maison de Jeanne d’Arc.
Although not the original building she was staying in during the siege, the current building sits on the site. The museum is home to the largest research center on Joan of Arc. The small museum includes an informative movie tracing Joan of Arc’s life from farm to Saint.
Pont George V.
The arched bridge crossing the Loire dates from 1760. It sits on the sight of the previous 12th-century Bridge of the Tourelle. That bridge plays an important role in the Seige of Orleans. Unfortunately, none of the Tourelle, Bastion, or Fort Augustin, all part of the bridge’s defense, remain.
Near By Orleans
Canal d’Orléans.
Dating from the 1600s, the canal was once an important source for moving supplies. Reaching almost 50 miles, it had 28 locks to help boats ascend and descend the river’s elevation. Since the 1950s, it no longer carries commercial traffic. Small boats and kayaks still use parts of it. There is a path along the side that is sometimes part of the road, other times a dirt trail.
Église Saint-Mesmin de La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin.
West of town along the river, the current church dates from circa 1570. The wing of the church dates from circa 1755 and the bell tower in the 19th century. Between 1820-40, the church undergoes a massive restoration. It receives another one circa 2012-18.
Blois.
See if this sounds familiar? On a hill overlooking the Loire is a chateau, once belonging to royalty. Blois is the capital of the Loir-et-Cher department in central France. It is 35 miles downriver (southwest) of Orleans.
Blois does not seem to be a Roman municipality as the first mention in writing is circa 6th century A.D. at this time, the tribe of Blésois goes against the Dunois (inhabitants of Châteaudun) to the north.
During the Carolingian Empire (800–888), Blois (Blesum Castrum) became a powerful court with a small castle, abbey, and monetary workshop.
Circa 1171,
In 1171, Catholic Blois was the site of a blood libel against the Jews. Citing they were killing Christian babies for rituals, the authorities burn more than 30 Jews to death.
By 1196, Count Louis grants privileges to the townsmen. Soon there is a chateau, and the counts of the Châtillon family take up residence.
Joan of Arc makes Blois her base of operations circa 1429 for her rescue of Orléans.
Louis XII, the future king, was born in the royal chateau circa 1462. By the 16th century, the chateau was the summer residence of the French court.
Blois would see much conflict between its citizens, many of them Calvinists, and the Catholic Church’s supporters.
King Henri III of France murders Henry, duke of Guise, and Henry’s brother, Louis, the Reims archbishop. His mother, Catherine de’ Medici, will die there a few months later.
Blois will undergo bombing twice during World War II. First, by the Germans when they take the city circa 1940. Then during the American’s 1944 liberation of the city from the Germans.
Château Royal de Blois.
Construction of the Medival fortress begins in the 13th century. It will serve as a residence to several French kings. Joan of Arc will receive a blessing here from the Archbishop of Reims before she attacks the English at Orléans. There are more than 560 rooms, 100 of which are bedrooms. There are more than 70 staircases, although only about a third are in daily use.
In the summer, there is a light and sound show with English translations via an audio device.
Musée des Beaux-Arts.
This sprawling museum is in the François I wing of the Royal Chateau. The collection includes paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and more from the 16th–19th centuries.
Maison de la Magie Robert-Houdin.
In a house belonging to the Houdin family is a museum of magic. Inside, you will find accessories from Robert-Houdin’s 1800s act, portraits of other great magicians, and magic.
Guides leading tours are illusionists, automations perform, and the museum often hosts performances, usually July – August. The house is across the street from the Royal Chateau.
Musée d’Histoire Naturelle
The natural history museum is in an old convent, below the chateau on the river. Here you can learn of Blois’s fossils, animals, herbariums, minerals in more through exhibits, many hands-on.
Église Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Laumer de Blois.
Just west of the natural history museum is the Saint Nicolas campus. Anchoring the complex of buildings is the church whose real name is St-Laumer. It was the church of the abbey next door. Dating from 1186, the Protestants destroy it during the War of Religions. Additional renovations over the next several hundred years leave a church with several architectural designs.
Abbaye Saint-Laumer
Between the river and Saint Nicolas/Saint-Laumer church is the abbey. Monks of Saint-Laumer were living outside the Blois walls by the 900s, fleeing the Normans in the north. They build the abbey in the 1200s. It will also need rebuilding after the Religious Wars (1562 and 1598). The current tenant is a government agency, and the building is not open to the public.
Centre de la Résistance, de la déportation et de la mémoire
Below the Chateau Royal on the backside is this interesting museum to the Resistance from WWII. Artifacts and journals piece together the experience.
Église Saint-Vincent de Paul.
Across the street from the Resistance Museum is the former church Holy Louis of the Jesuits. Dating from the 17th century, it will require rebuilding after the Revolution. The facade includes typical Jesuit decorations of Doric, Corinthian orders with wide volutes.
Pavillon Anne de Bretagne
Next to Saint-Vincent de Paul, this charming building was originally in the lower gardens of the castle. It goes by several names, including the Queen’s baths and Pavillon d’Anne de Bretagne. Today, it is private property and home to the La Maison des artisans d’art et métiers du Loir-et-Cher. You can see some of the building’s decorations from the street.
Cathedral of St. Louis of Blois
The original church, dating from the 12th century, began as a collegiate church dedicated to Saint Solenne. Very little of this church remains. What you see today dates from 1544 and is in late Gothic style. The nave undergoes a 1680 reconstruction. Finally, the church receives cathedral status circa 1697. The organ console is a gift from King Louis XIV to mark the occasion. The new see takes the dedication to Saint Louis. The Chapel of Notre-Dame dates from 1860. They had to replace more than 430 square yards of stained glass after the bombings in WWII.
Across the parking area in front of the church, at #3 is a half-timber house dating to pre-1480. How do they know? The carvings all have design elements that would disappear after this time.
Maison de Denis Papin
Down a flight of stairs (between the church’s front door and #3 above) is Denis Papin’s home. However, there is no proof he was ever living here. The Gothic structure is worth seeing for the enclosed bridge connecting the buildings on opposite sides of the street. You can see it from the church parking area without descending the stairs.
Hôtel de Ville de Blois
Adjacent to the cathedral, this 18th-century building began as the Episcopal Palace. Since WWII, it is the city hall. Unfortunately, most of the interior charm disappears in the post-war renovations. Check out the
Jardin de l’Évêché
Just east of the City Hall, this area was the private gardens of the Episcopal Palace. Today they offer great views of the river and Joan of Arc’s statue at the far end.
Foundation du Doute
A six-minute walk west of the square is this Contemporary art center. It contains an eclectic collection of works in various forms of multimedia. Even if you are not into contemporary art, the exterior is fun to see.
La Halle aux Grains
Dating from 1849, this building replaces a 15th-century market and court building. Since 1984, the space is an exhibition space and performance stage.
Place Jean Jaurès
Just behind the Halle is the University of Blois. The wide paved walkway in the Place Jean Jaurès. Just beyond the Universite buildings are two large brick towers with no marking. These are water towers, no longer in use.
Rue du Puits Châtel
Rue des 3 Clefs
This pedestrian street, running from a block east of the Chateau Royal steps to Rue Denis Papin, is worth seeing. Here, you can find several half-timber buildings that survive revolutions and World Wars.
Le Pont Jacques-Gabriel Blois
Escalier Denis Papin
This grand staircase and gardens honor Denis Papin, local doctor, mathematician, and inventor circa1647. His research into harnessing steam will lead to the use of steam power. The staircase, dating from 1865, includes a statue of Papin at the top. From the top of the steps, the view directly ahead is looking up Rue Denis Papin.
In the summer, they often paint the steps with images. By rainy winter, most of the image disappears. Start at the Jacques-Gabriel bridge to get the various perspectives.
East of Blois
Château de Chambord.
Perhaps the most famous of the Loire Chateaus, Chambord is actually three miles south of the river. There is no one designer of the chateau as changes began almost immediately. Construction. Starts circa 1519 on this grand hunting lodge for King Francis I. When he dies 28 years later, the chateau is still not complete, and there are no furnishings. There is no village to support the chateau. Therefore, they would bring all the food and furnishings with them on hunting trips. Not a small operation for 2000 people. For the next 90 years, the chateau sits empty until King Louis XIII gives it to his brother, Gaston d’Orléans. Paying for the repairs, he saves the château from ruin.
King Louis XIV takes control circa 1655 and furnishes the whole chateau. He adds a stable that can hold 1200 horses for weekend hunting parties. By 1685, hunting or the chateau bore him, and he abandons the chateau. For the next 100 years, it will host friends or distant relatives of the king needing shelter. By the Revolution of 1792, the government sells anything they can from the chateau, including the paneling. The Comte de Chambord receives the property but dies before he can do much restoration. It passes to his family, who are in Italy and Austria.
The French state takes possession in 1930 but does little to restore the property. During WWII, they use the chateau to store the Louvre Museum’s collection. Mona Lisa did not look happy. Today, after major renovations, it is a major tourist attraction. You can visit the chateau, gardens, stables, and parks. There are additional activities as well. Outside of the apartments, many rooms in the chateau have little to no furnishings.
Château de Menars.
Circa 1646, Guillaume Charron, an adviser to the King, builds a modest chateau on a property overlooking the Loire river. Around 1669, his son, Jean-Jacques Charron, a principal magistrate in the Parlement de Paris, enlarges the property. A few years later, Louis XIV will make him a marquess.
Mme de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress between 1745 and 1751 and influential confidant, buys the chateau circa 1760. She adds two additional wings and pavilions. Before work completes, she dies four years later, and the château passes to her brother. He will double the size and add the Italianate influence. In the early 1900s, the chateau receives running water, hot air heating, gas lights, and electricity. Circa 1983, a developer buys the property and spends the next 30 years and close to 11 million dollars refurbishing. Since 2017, the 102,257 square foot château has been on the market. As of 2021, it is still available. Menars is 20 minutes east, upriver, from Blois.
South
Église Saint-Saturnin de Blois.
There is only one steeple visible if you look across the Loire to the south (left bank). This is Saint Saturin. There has been a Catholic church here since the 10th century. Like many churches, it will need rebuilding several times and change names. Some of the stonework in the southern section may date back to the 1500s.
Château de Beauregard, Loire Valley.
Twenty minutes south of town is this castle dating from 1545. While still a private residence, you can visit the property. It is most famous for its Gallery of Portraits that includes over 300 portraits of people famous (at that time). It is the largest gallery in Europe to survive to the present day. There is one tour a day in English, usually around midday. The Jardin des portraits are the only formal gardens they maintain.
Château de Cheverny
There is a record of ownership of Cheverny going back to the 1300s. They build a prominent chateau circa 1510. Circa 1550, the French king Henri II grabs it with trumped-up charges of treachery to the crown. He gives it to his mistress Diane de Poitiers. Not good enough for her, she sells it to the former owner’s son and moves into Château de Chenonceau. Circa 1630, it receives its current Chateau appearance. The interior undergoes a major renovation circa 1768. With the threat of a revolution, the Marquis de Vibraye sells the property. Twenty years later, they repurchase it during the Restoration. The family still owns the property.
Clos du Tue Bœuf.
This wine estate, 20 minutes drive south of town, is still producing wine since the middle ages. Two brothers are heading the current generation of winemaking. Visits require reservations.
West
Du Prieuré d’Orchaise Botanical Garden.
Twenty minutes drive west, in the village of Orchaise, is a great getaway. Previously the gardens of the church’s priory, today the gardens are open to the public. The site covers close to seven acres and includes almost 2000 species of plant. The gardens are open in the warm months, and there is an admission.
Sully-Sur-Loire.
Less than an hour’s drive upriver (east) of Orleans is this small village with a large chateau. There is no sign of Roman occupation in this area. However, due to the river’s natural fording (crossing), people were passing through.
Château de Sully-sur-Loire.
The chateau sits on an island in an area along the Loire that would only flood in extreme conditions. Its main responsibility was to guard the ford. In the 1300s, excessive flooding leads to the construction of dikes around the town. Circa 1390, Guy de la Trémoille marries Marie de Sully, the last surviving Sully. 1400, there are several keeps, two towers, and a drawbridge to the castle. Circa 1429, the chateau entertains Charles VII and Joan of Arc during their Loire campaign.
Circa 1602, Maxamillian de Bethune, minister to Henri VI, buys the chateau. Four years later, Henri VI makes him a Duke. The de Bethune family will hold the estate until 1962. They restore much of the building after the revolution. The local council is responsible for much of what you see today.
East
Musée du cirque et de l’illusion.
A ten-minute drive east from town, this museum is an amazing collection of circus nostalgia. Posters, videos, numerous costumes, and props are on display. Lovely to look at, unfortunately, everything is in French so bring a guide or excellent translator.
West
Carolingian Oratory of Germigny-des-Prés.
The oratory, by Bishop Theodulf of Orléans, dates from circa 806 and was part of his palace complex. The Vikings will destroy everything except the oratory over the next 100 years. The structure survives, becoming part of a priory circa 1067, then a parish church sometime in the 13th century. The nave dates from circa 16th century, with a large renovation and extension in the 19th century. The jewel of the oratory is a Byzantine mosaic in the dome. It is the only complete Byzantine mosaic existing in France. It pictures the Holy Grail and manna. The church plasters over the mosaic pre-French revolution, probably saving it.
Fleury Abbey.
Downriver approximately ten minutes drive, is this monastery dating from 640 A.D. It is one of the most important Benedictine monasteries in Western Europe. The church may possess the relics of St. Benedict of Nursia. The Normans destroy most of the Loire monasteries, and Fleury is no exception circa 1026. The Romanesque basilica and a tower replace the previous church. The tomb of King Philip, I of France, is here. The abbey is the only building dating to Mediaeval times. The abbey is still active with approximately forty monks. Volunteers lead tours between March and October.
The town cemetery is the final resting place of French poet Max Jacob, a friend of Picasso. Jewish by birth, the Germans send him to Drancy detention camp outside Paris. By March 1944, he is dead. The Friends of Max Jacob pay honor to him every March.
Le Moulin de Bel-Air.
This pivot windmill dates from the 1700s. Circa 1994, they move it to its current site, where it receives breezes off the river. After extensive renovations, it works again. On a breezy day, it can produce over 200 pounds of flour per hour.
Orleans Summary.
As you may see, Orleans is not a day trip, and the Loire Valley needs several days. This was only a third of the UNESCO portion.
There is so much to see, taste, explore, and absorb.
Make sure to plan on more than a few hours in the Loire.